Labor and Aesthetics in European Contemporary Dance
This transdisciplinary study scientifically reports the way the established contemporary dance sector in Europe operates from a micro-perspective. It provides a dance scholarly and sociological interpretation of its mechanisms by coupling qualitative data (interview material, observations, logbooks, and dance performances) to theoretical insights. The book uncovers the sometimes contradicting mechanisms related to the precarious project-oriented labor and art market that determine the working and living conditions of contemporary dance artists in Europe's dance capitals Brussels and Berlin. In addition, it examines how these working and living conditions affect the work process and outcome. From a sociological perspective, the book engages with the relevant contemporary social issue of precarity and this within the much-at-risk professional group of contemporary dance artists. In this regard, the research brings novelty within the subject area, particularly by employinga unique methodological approach. Although the research is initially set up in a specific geographical context and within a specific research population, the book offers insights into issues that affect our neoliberal society at large. The research findings show potential to make a relevant contribution with regards to precarity within dance studies and performance studies, but also labor studies and cultural sociology.
Dances of France III. The Pyrenees
The dances of the French Pyrenees express a multitude of influences in their colourful variety. At the eastern end the French side is influenced by Spanish Catalonia, at the western end the famous Basque dances show some slight influence from their Spanish-Basque brothers; even in the centre, under the high and inaccessible peaks, dances are coloured by influence from across the frontier, so that everywhere traditions are Pyrenean rather than regional or local.Violet Alford, author of this book and editor of the series, knew the Pyrenees as few other foreigners do. She was a dancer herself, both at home and with the people whose countries she visited. Readers of her books The Traditional Dance (with Rodney Gallop) and Pyrenean Festivals, and of the many articles she wrote on folk-lore and folk dance, will recognise her lively and authoritative style. Miss Alford here selected five typical dances for fuller description, with music and step-notation. Four plates in colour show the correct costumes.
Dances of Italy
A land of wine and song, of love and laughter - the magic of Italy is reflected in the wealth of her dances, which range from the stylised Chain dances of Sardinia and the Sword dances of Piedmont to the courting mimes that belong mainly to the central and southern provinces. Among them are the delightful Monferrina with its teasings and coaxings, the lively Saltarello of central Italy, and above all the Tarantella of the south, with its exciting rhythms, miming attack and defence and final love conquest. In contrast to these warm-blooded folk dances there are the solemn processional dances of Calabria and Sicily, some of them forming part of actual religious ceremonies.Bianca Galanti, former lecturer on the history of Italian popular traditions at the University of Rome, also included in this book some notes on music and costume, and selected four dances for more detailed description, together with step-notation and music. Examples of Italy's rich heritage of traditional costume are illustrated by four plates in full colour.
Dances of Germany
Down the birch-lined roads of the Black Forest the peasant families, all in regional dress, gather for the dancing of the Schwarzwalder Bauerntanz. This and three other famous German dances are here described in detail with the music and dance steps. The gay traditional costumes are beautifully shown in four full-colour plates, and the text richly portrays the variety of dances to be found in Germany, from the cold, phlegmatic North with its figured quadrilles, to the mountainous South and its merry Alpine dances.Miss Fyfe, one-time lecturer at the Ansey College of Physical Education, travelled widely in Germany, where she learned the local dances in the Black Forest, and also joined in with the dancing villagers of North Germany.
25 Tango Lessons
Andrea discovered Argentine tango in her 20s. Over the next decades it gradually changed - and in many ways became - her life. Just about everything in tango is a microcosm of life at large, and just about everything learned on the dance floor is a life lesson as well. This book is a collection of some of the most interesting and valuable things this passionate and complex dance has taught Andrea over the years she has been practising and teaching it.
Dances of The Netherlands
Clogs and baggy trousers, wide checked skirtsand white caps - is not this our picture whenwe think of Dutch folk dances? But thiscostume belongs only to one dance and onepart of the country; even there the womenare coming to prefer 'a pleated black skirtwhich gives a slim and even elegant outline'.And who would suspect the sober Dutch ofsuch a dance as the Cramignon, a chain dancethat winds 'in and out of the houses and innsof the village' behind a brass band?Dr. Elise van der Ven-ten Bensel devotedher life to the study and preservation ofDutch folk dances. Together with herhusband, another noted folklorist, she filmedthe traditional customs of the country andorganised folk-dance schools. In this book, after a lively and amusing essay on Dutch folklife, the author describes four typical dances, with their step-notation and music, and fourcharming colour plates show the traditionalcostumes for each dance.
Dances of France II - Provence and Alsace
From sun-drenched Provence, vibrating with warmth and the whirring 'song' of cicada, come some of the gayest and historically most interesting dances in all Europe. Here are Lou Rigaudon, 'invention of the devil'; La Farandoulo, said to have originated in the Minotaur's labyrinth; and the charming Jardiniero, in which the women hold floral hoops and the men baskets of flowers. And Alsace, scene of numberless fetes and ancient fairs still produces the amusing Cock Dance.This second volume of French national dances is once again illustrated by four attractive colour plates, and contains the music and dance notations of four national dances.Nicolette Tennevin comes from a Proven癟al family and is head of 'La Couqueto', a group of dancers actively seeking to uphold their heritage of traditional songs, dances, and costumes. Marie Texier is President of the Commission de Folklore de la F矇d矇ration Regionale Fran癟aise.
Dances of Czechoslovakia
Standing at the crossroads of Europe, the bridge between east and west, Czechoslovakia combines in its folk dances and traditions the colourful wildness of the east with the more sophisticated gaiety of the west. To the lover of traditional peasant art this country has long been a treasure-house of stored delight; for those who now perforce stay at home, the author of this book has distilled the essence of a lifetime's study in a work of rare charm.The author, who was herself a dancer of some renown, takes the reader through the length and breadth of her country, from the Bohemian Forest, with its simple rhythms in a major key, to the wilder, more primitive dances of the eastern parts. After a fascinating introduction to the dances, dance-songs and folk life of this enchanting country, the author chooses four dances from different districts, and gives a detailed description of each, side-by-side with the music, which is specially arranged for easy playing. Four colour plates show the correct costumes for each dance.
The Choreopolitics of Alain Platel’s Les Ballets C de la B
Les Ballets C de la B was founded by Alain Platel in 1984. Since then it has become a company that enjoys great success at home and abroad. Over the years, Platel has developed a unique choreographic oeuvre. His motto, 'This dance is for the world and the world is for everyone', reveals a deep social and political commitment. Through the three topics of emotions, gestures and politics, this book unravels the choreopolitics of Platel's Les Ballets C de la B. His choreopolitics go beyond conveying a (political) message because rather than defending one opinion, Platel is more concerned about the exposure of the complexity within the debate itself. Highly respected scholars from different fields contribute to this book to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the intense emotions, the damaged narratives, and the precarious bodies in Platel's choreographic oeuvre.
Dance and Cultural Difference in Aotearoa
This book provides a critical reflection on the ways dance studio teachers recognize, reflect and respond to cultural difference within their dance studio classes, particularly in the rural context in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Through dance teachers' narratives, it reveals the complexities of multiculturalism within dance studio classes and examines related issues of inclusion and exclusion within dance education.Understanding the dance practices provided by teachers like those in rural communities within Aotearoa/New Zealand is an increasingly urgent concern in an era of growing political, social and cultural tensions, for students and scholars of performing arts, leadership and community development. While previous research and publications have investigated cultural difference and global multicultural arts practices, this book presents a critical lens on performing arts practice and socio-cultural challenges experienced by local dance teachers within rural communities in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Dances of Spain I
After five hundred years, the influence of the Moors can still be seen in Southern Spain. In the arts and crafts, in many Spanish faces the imprint of the dark invader still shows. And above all in the dance: the famous back-bends, the delicate play of finger and hand, the sudden petrified poses are more Eastern than European.This book deals with the dances of Southern, Central and North-West Spain. Mrs. Lucile Armstrong spent a large part of her life travelling the Iberian peninsula, studying the arts of the people and noting down the traditional dances. Herself a folk-dancer of great experience, she wrote in this book, in addition to a general introduction to these regions and their customs, a more detailed description of four Spanish dances: two simple, one of medium difficulty and one, the Seguidillas Sevillanas of Andalusia, which, as she said, is more subtle and needs special study. Step notations and music illustrate these dances, and in addition four plates by the author show in colour the beauty of Spanish peasant costume.
Dances of Yugoslavia
The great variety of folk dances found in Yugoslavia is the result of various factors, the peoples having lived under many different and social conditions. South and East were mainly exposed to Turkish influences, West and North to those of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while Dalmatia and the Adriatic Islands were open to prolonged Italian influence.In this book, illustrated by four colour plates, are detailed descriptions of four typical peasant dances, with the correct dance steps and music, from four different areas: Zupcanka from Serbia, Zetsko Kolo from Montengro, Tri Mlinara from Croatia, and Laka Lisa from Macedonia.The authors, two sisters from Serbia, devoted much of their lives to collecting and analyzing folk dances from South-Eastern Europe. Between 1934 and 1964 they published eight volumes and several monographs of dance research.
Understanding the Mystery of the Embrace Part 2
"That was magical!"The Embrace can transport your dancing to new levels. Yet, it's often fraught with contradictions. Which way is the "right" way to hold your hand, place your feet, and so on?With clear illustrated instructions, this book shows you step by step how to: Accelerate your learning.Avoid the danger of being Not Even Wrong.Find the invisible Frame within your Embrace.How to dance with more "forceful" partners.Personalize your embrace.Why there are so many apparent contradictions in the way Tango is taught and performed.And more!Written for dancers of all ages and experience, Understanding the Mystery of the Embrace Part 2 will help you take your understanding of the embrace to a new level and avoid the pitfalls along the way. Ready to start enjoying tango dances more? Scroll up, Click on 'Buy Now with 1-Click', and Get Your Copy!
Understanding Musicality
Are you struggling with the music in Argentine Tango? Written for those completely new to musicality, this book clearly answers the basic questions about the music you may be too embarrassed to ask in a class: - What is a beat? - How is it different from "the beat", "being on the beat" and the Comp獺s? - How do you find them in the music? Through clear explanations and examples, Oliver Kent starts you on your journey to a deeper understanding of Argentine Tango's music.Argentine tango lacks music suitable for beginners and those new to musicality, so Oliver begins with simple examples using a metronome to help you learn to find, clap and then walk along to a simple rhythm. He then moves onto using easy-to-follow pop songs to explain more about the beat and the rhythm.He then shifts to focus on Argentine tango's Comp獺s. First explaining exactly what it is and then gradually building up ways to dance socially to it. With his characteristic friendly, relaxed style, he addresses common problems such as how to find and follow the Comp獺s as it moves across different instruments, and what to do when you can't hear it.With this foundation in place, learn how Argentine Tango's rhythms and Comp獺s provide structure to its music. Understanding how they give dancers musical cues, will help you to interpret the music. Rather than getting tied down in complex academic theories, the book focuses on how you can use this new knowledge to improve your social dancing as quickly as possible.To consolidate this, a whole chapter is devoted to walking the reader through how to dance to the Comp獺s in Francisco Canaro's "Poema."Filled with music suggestions, by the time you've finished this book, you'll have the tools to start dancing confidently to the Comp獺s.Get "Understanding Musicality: Al Comp獺s del Coraz籀n" today and unravel the mystery and contusion surrounding Argentine Tango's Comp獺s.
Understanding the Mystery of the Embrace Part 1
"Tango is the embrace."Do you dream of finally having a good tango embrace? Imagine if you, too, could have the kind that magical dances are made from? Most likely, you've only been given scattered pieces of information and left to figure it out yourself. But it seems to be taking a lot longer than you expected!Using clear illustrated instructions, this book guides you step by step through the process: The two most essential elements of the embrace.Shoes!!!!!!!!!!How to adjust and fine-tune your embrace when dancing socially.The Secrets of the Hinge and Double Hinge.Written for dancers of all ages and experiences, Understanding the Mystery of the Embrace Part 1 will give you the confidence and joy that come from having a good embrace. Ready to start enjoying tango dances more? Scroll up, Click on 'Buy Now with 1-Click', and Get Your Copy!
Enjoy Getting the Dances You Want
"I'd give anything to dance with them!"Whether you're a beginner to Argentine Tango, or you've been doing it for years, this book will guide you to get more of the dances you want and enjoy them. It presents a wealth of information and tips on the social intricacies of tango. You too, can savor the experiences tango has to offer: Learn the four types of dancers.Discover the secrets of inviting partners to dance.Feel more relaxed in new and unknown venues.Get more magical dances!No matter your age or level of experience, Enjoy Getting the Dances You Want will help take the confusion out of tango social dancing and put the pleasure back in!Ready to start enjoying the dances you want? Scroll up, Click on 'Buy Now with 1-Click', and Get Your Copy!
Understanding Musicality Din獺mica y Sincopaci籀n
The beauty of Argentine tango musicality lies in its depth and variety. Starting with a clear explanation of double and half-time, this book then explores the five Din獺mica: Stacatto, Legato, Yum, Elastic, and Raindrops. Practical illustrations of how to use weight-changes, rebounds, rock-steps, projections, and walking are included to fast-track you on your way to better musicality in your dancing!
Dance, Architecture and Engineering
This book was born from a year of exchanges of movement ideas generated in cross-practice conversations and workshops with dancers, musicians, architects and engineers. Events took place at key cultural institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts, London; and The Lowry, Salford, as well as on-site at architectural firms and on the streets of London. The author engages with dance's offer of perspectives on being in place: how the 'ordinary person' is facilitated in experiencing the dance of the city, while also looking at shared cross-practice understandings in and about the body, weight and rhythm. There is a prioritizing of how embodied knowledges across dance, architecture and engineering can contribute to decolonizing the production of place - in particular, how dance and city-making cultures engage with female bodies and non-white bodies in today's era of #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter. Akinleye concludes in response conversations about ideas raised in the book with John Bingham-Hall, Liz Lerman, Dianne McIntyer and Richard Sennett. The book is a fascinating resource for those drawn to spatial practices from dance to design to construction.
Dances of Belgium
After a beribboned cock has been presented to the Mayor of certain Walloon towns the hapless bird is decapitated and the people dance around it - a strange, ritual ceremony, its analogue known also in the Pyrenees and in Spain. This and many another ancient custom has been kept alive throughout southern and eastern Belgium by the people's great love of dancing - on the place, on platforms and in cafes. In Flanders, too, traditional dancing lives on. Her link with the past is seen, in particular, with the Sword Dances for which she was so famous. History records their performance in the picturesque city of Bruges as far back as 1389, and in the region of Antwerp men still dance 'The Traweiteldans' to the accompaniment of a drum roll.M. Pinon was a folk song expert but was led to study folk dancing through insistent demands from all parts of the country. M. Jamar boasted twenty-five years' study of his native Flanders. Like his collaborator he was a member of the Belgian National Commission on Folklore.Their book contains music and step notations for five dances and there are, in addition, four coloured plates showing the correct costumes to be worn.
Dances of Spain II
'There are other dances in Aragon, ' says the author of this delightful book, 'but when the province is mentioned every Spaniard I have ever met preens himself and remarks, "Ah! La Jota".' There are indeed other dances. Mrs. Armstrong, a widely known authority on Spanish Dances and author of 'Dances of Spain: vol. I', in this series, takes us through the great province of Aragon, from the Pyrenees to the borders of Valencia, to busy Catalonia, and to Valencia itself, where Catalan and southern influences meet, Catalan delicacy softening the rigid grace of Andalusia. Everywhere she shows us the dances of the people: the famed Jota, the Sardana - of which, as she says, much has been written, and a great deal of it nonsense - and less-known dances such as the Dance of the Gypsies from the Valles, to which, oddly enough, no gypsies are admitted.To this most absorbing of travellers' tales has been added a more detailed step-by-step description of four selected dances, with the original music specially arranged for this series. In addition, four beautiful colour plates show traditional Spanish regional costumes.
Dances of Switzerland
This book gives a fascinating account ofSwitzerland's rich heritage of dance and song- a heritage to which all the four races of theSwiss have contributed their varying shares.The clog dances of the Alpine cowherds andtheir well-known yodelling songs, the simple, flowing Valse Frapp矇e of Geneva, and the gayL羹deren Polka have been part of Swiss villagelife for many hundreds of years.These and many other dances, and their placein Swiss folk life, are described by the authorin an introductory essay; in addition, fourtypical dances are selected for more detaileddescription, with music and step-notation, and four delightful colour plates show thecorrect costume for each.Mlle. Witzig was General Secretary of theSwiss National Costume Society and hadalways had a love of the old Swiss customsand folklore; her Society has done muchgood work in the preservation of dance and costumes.
Performance, Dance and Political Economy
This book examines the relation between bodies and political economies at micro and macro levels. It stands in the space between ends and beginnings - some long-desired, such as the end of capitalism and racism, and others long-dreaded, such as the climate catastrophe - and reimagines what the world can be like instead. It offers an original investigation into the relation between performance, dance, and political economy, looking at the points where politics, economics, ethics, and culture intersect. Arising from live conversations and exchanges among the contributors, this book is written in an interdisciplinary and dialogical manner by leading scholars and artists in the fields of Performance Studies, Dance, Political Theory, Economics, and Social Theory: Marc Arthur, Melissa Blanco Borelli, Anita Gonzalez, Alexandrina Hemsley, Jamila Johnson-Small, Elena Loizidou, Tavia Nyong'o, Katerina Paramana, Nina Power, and Usva Seregina. Their critical and creative examinations of the relation between bodies and political economy offer insights for both imagining and materializing a world beyond the present.
Dances of Poland
Poland, birthplace of Polonaise and Mazurka, possesses a passionate love of music and dancing which has survived the ravages of many foreign invaders, from Genghis Khan and his dreaded Tartars down to more recent oppressions.There are many and varied steps to be found in the national dances of Poland, and this book contains the notations and music of four original and exciting dances - including the 'Goralski', a brigand dance from the mountains, and the famous Krakowiak - which are also depicted in striking colour plates showing authentic costumes.Mme. Wolska had had long experience of the dances of Poland, for after being connected with the Polish Ballet Company directed by Nijinsky's sister, she joined the well-known Anglo-Polish Ballet Company as both dancer and ballet mistress.
Dances of Ireland
On the Eve of May Day, one of the great Celtic feasts, the people, moving in lines, were wont to urge their cattle between two fires that they might be purified and preserved during the coming year. And since nothing dies harder than tradition, it may well be that, long after their significance was forgotten, these ancient ceremonial line-movements developed into the forms of the 'Rinnce Fada' and 'The Hey' still danced in the Ireland of today.For over three centuries after the Tudor wars everything Irish was forbidden, and dancing, like all the other peaceful arts, suffered a decline. Some dances were irretrievably lost, but, largely by the efforts of the Gaelic League, others have been recovered and revived. Step notations and music for several of these, including the famous 'Rinnce Fada', are given here with four coloured plates of costumes.Peadar O'Rafferty, founder of Lambeg Irish Folk Dance Society and for many years instructor to Malone Training School, was a pioneer of the folk-dancing revival in Belfast. His son, Gerald, has frequently acted as adjudicator at Irish musical festivals.
Dances of France I - Brittany and Bourbonnais
Though France is, above all, the land of civilised sophistication, the old popular traditions still live on in the countryside. In their folk dances, as in their music and costume, the different regions present a rich variety. This book begins with the sea girt land of Brittany, where fifteen hundred years ago the men of Cornwall, fleeing before the Saxon invader, founded Cornouaille across the sea. Then it takes us to the Bourbonnais, in the little known heart of France, where langue d'oil and langue d'oc meet. The old dances are accompanied by traditional instruments, such as the Breton bombarde and biniou, and the vielle that is still made in the Bourbonnais by men who learned the craft from their fathers.The authors, both of whom hold high positions in the Paris Museum of Folk Art and Traditions, introduce us to their chosen regions with a general description of the regional costumes, dances and music; four selected dances are then more fully described, with step notations and music, and four plates in vivid colour showing the correct costumes.
Dances of Norway
Descendants of the Vikings, children of Norse legend born beneath the grey twilight of the midnight sun, the people of Norway live in a country of fjords, mountains, lakes and forests, their background here wild and terrible, there still and brooding. Their folk songs and dances are as varied as the scenery of their native land, and as attractive as their colourful national costumes.In this book four dances are fully described with their music and dance steps; and four fine colour plates portray some of the traditional costumes.Klara Semb was the recognised authority on the dances of her country, and was largely instrumental in their revival, for she spent forty years travelling Norway collecting and teaching dances.
Contemporary African Dance Theatre
This book is the first to consider contemporary African dance theatre aesthetics in the context of phenomenology, whiteness, and the gaze. Rather than a discussion of African dance per se, the author challenges hegemonic perceptions of contemporary African dance theatre to interrogate the extent to which white supremacy and privilege weave through capitalist necropolitics and determine our perception of contemporary African dance theatre today. Multiple aesthetic strategies are discussed throughout the book to account for the affective experience of 'un-suturing' that touches white spectatorship and colonial guilt at their core. The critical analysis covers a broad range of dance choreography by artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Canada, Europe, and the US as they travel, create, and show their works internationally to global audiences to contest racial divides and white supremacist politics.
Dances of Portugal
To any lover of the dance the exotic rhythms of the Portuguese folk dances must have an irresistible fascination. Mrs. Armstrong, who has lived in Portugal for many years and made a special study of Portuguese dancing, gives in this book a delightful description of the traditional dances, with their intricate figures, sudden leaps and turns in the air, and above all their endless variety and improvisation. Travelling to remote villages, often under conditions of some difficulty, she has gathered her material from sources where traditions are still fresh and living. From the Vira in the north to the complicated waltz figures of the Tagus fisherfolk, she has seen them all, and her enthusiasm stands out on every page.Not only has the author seen and described the dances, but she has also taken detailed notes. This book contains music and step notation for four of the best and most typical of the country dances of Portugal, and four beautiful colour-plates show the costumes appropriate to each.
Dances of Bulgaria
Throughout Bulgaria at a variety of occasions, festive, religious, or social, the people will gather to join in their national Horo, a gay dance with countless variations of music and step, in a circular or chain formation for any number of dancers. The dancing of Horos is enjoyed by everyone, from the soldiers in barracks to the workers in harvest fields, and in days gone by many trades had their own version of the dance. Then there are the Sheep's Dance, 'Violet, Little Violet' and the Rachenitsa, with its accompanying song.In this book, illustrated by four colour plates, are detailed descriptions of four typical peasant dances with the correct dance steps and music.Mme Raina Katsarova was head of the Folk Dance and Music department of the Ethnographical Museum in Sofia; and herself collected more than 6,000 Bulgarian folk songs and 200 dances.
Being a Ballerina
Finalist, the Arts Club of Washington Marfield PrizeA look inside a dancer's world Inspiring, revealing, and deeply relatable, Being a Ballerina is a firsthand look at the realities of life as a professional ballet dancer. Through episodes from her own career, Gavin Larsen describes the forces that drive a person to study dance; the daily balance that dancers navigate between hardship and joy; and the dancer's continual quest to discover who they are as a person and as an artist.	Starting with her arrival as a young beginner at a class too advanced for her, Larsen tells how the embarrassing mistake ended up helping her learn quickly and advance rapidly. In other stories of her early teachers, training, and auditions, she explains how she gradually came to understand and achieve what she and her body were capable of.	Larsen then re-creates scenes from her experiences in dance companies, from unglamorous roles to exhilarating performances. Working as a ballerina was shocking and scary at first, she says, recalling unexpected injuries, leaps of faith, and her constant struggle to operate at the level she wanted--but full of enormously rewarding moments. Larsen also reflects candidly on her difficult decision to retire at age 35.	An ideal read for aspiring dancers, Larsen's memoir will also delight experienced dance professionals and fascinate anyone who wonders what it takes to live a life dedicated to the perfection of the art form.
Midnight at the Crossroads
Belly dance and its music arise from an Eastern ethos of feeling, improvisation, and joy. However, it's hard for Western dancers to discover these principles--and even harder to embody them, steeped as we are in an aesthetic of appearance, choreography, and perfectionism.All arts grow and change, that's part of their nature. But in this case, there are surprising advantages to embracing the Eastern way, including brain health, trauma healing, and a connection to the Divine.Join Alia Thabit, an Arab-American dancer with forty-five years of experience, as she reveals the secret soul of the dance--and how to make it your own. Find resources and learn more at BellyDanceSoul.com
Perspectives in Motion
Focusing on visual approaches to performance in global cultural contexts, Perspectives in Motion explores the work of Adrienne L. Kaeppler, a pioneering researcher who has made a number of interdisciplinary contributions over five decades to dance and performance studies. Through a diverse range of case studies from Oceania, Asia, and Europe, and interdisciplinary approaches, this edited collection offers new critical and ethnographic frameworks for understanding and experiencing practices of music and dance across the globe.
Dances of Denmark
'A circle whose centre is the devil himself, and whose participants are dancing towardseternal death.' Thus did a medieval Danishpriest describe the Ring Dance, and readersof Hans Andersen will recognise this priestlypuritanism in the tale of the Red Shoes. A17th century Bishop of Funen, however, hadmore liberal views. Having married his twosons at a double wedding, he 'saw no harmin himself dancing a turn with each of thebrides'. The natural light-heartedness of theDane is never long suppressed, and todaythere is a rich and living tradition of folkdance, costume and music.Mr. Jeppessen was the chairman of theDanish Association for the Encouragementof Folk Dancing, and Mr. Lorenzen was awell-known folklorist who modestly describeshis wide researches as 'a hobby'. As in theother books of the series, they have chosenfour dances for more detailed description, and the book is illustrated with four costumeplates in full colour.
The Feldenkrais Method in Creative Practice
Bringing together scholars and researchers in one volume, this study investigates how the thinking of the Ukrainian-Israeli somatic educationalist Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-84) can benefit and reflect upon the creative practices of dance, music and theatre. Since its inception, the Feldenkrais Method has been associated with artistic practice, growing contiguously with performance, cognitive and embodied practices in dance, music, and theatre studies. It promotes awareness of fine motor action for improved levels of action and skill, as well as healing for those who are injured. For creative artists, the Feldenkrais Method enables them to refine and improve their work. This book offers historical, scientific and practical perspectives that develop thinking at the heart of the Method and is divided into three sections: Historical Perspectives on Creative Practice, From Science into Creative Practice and Studies in Creative Practice. All the essays provide insights into self-improvement, training, avoiding injury, history and philosophy of artistic practice, links between scientific and artistic thinking and practical thinking, as well as offering some exercises for students and artistic practitioners looking to improve their understanding of their practice. Ultimately, this book offers a rich development of the legacy and the ongoing relevance of the Feldenkrais Method. We are shown how it is not just a way of thinking about somatic health, embodiment and awareness, but a vital enactivist epistemology for contemporary artistic thought and practice.
Contemporary Performemory
Contemporary PerforMemory looks at dance works created in the 21st century by choreographers identifying as Afro-European, Jewish, Black, Palestinian, and Taiwanese-Chinese-American. It explores how contemporary dance-makers engage with historical traumas such as the Shoah and the Maafa to reimagine how the past is remembered and how the future is anticipated. The new idea of "perforMemor"y arises within a lively blend of interdisciplinary theory, interviews, performance analysis, and personal storytelling. Scholar and artist Layla Zami traces unexpected pathways, inviting the reader to move gracefully across disciplines, histories, and geographies. Featuring insightful interviews with seven international artists: Oxana Chi, Zufit Simon, Andr矇 M. Zachery, Chantal Lo簿al, Wan-Chao Chang, Farah Saleh, and Christiane Emmanuel.
Dances of Finland
The Finnish national epic, Kalevala, tells how Kyllikki makes her lover Lemminkainen promise that he will never go to war again; but he makes a condition himself: But thyself on oath must pledge thee, Not to wander to the village, Whether for the love of dancing, Or to loiter in the pathways.This love of dancing is still strong in the Finnish blood, and seven hundred years of foreign rule have done nothing to suppress its national character.In this book Miss Collan, who is a Finn, and Mr. Heikel, who comes from the Swedish-speaking part of Finland, describe the origins and nature of the principal Finnish folk dances and their place in Finnish country life, and finally give step notations and music for four typical dances. The heavy, lumbering Seals' Dance, the lively Engelska, the comic miming of the dance of poor one-eyed Taneli, are not only brought before the mind's eye by vivid description but set down, step by step, for all who will to learn, and dance for themselves.
The Christmas Carol Dance Book
'Carol' once implied dance as much as song and to bring the two back together Dr John Gardiner-Garden has devised 71 social participatory dances in dozens of different formations to fit well-loved Christmas carols from the last 7 centuries. The dances all work perfectly, are lots of fun, and, in their style and figures, echo the various carols' historical origins and lyrical storyline. The book contains easy-to-follow instructions to all the dance, full carol lyrics, chorded musical notation, historical notes and wonderful illustrations. Sing while you dance and dance while you sing! 100 A4 pages.
Dance Delights
Instructions, music and context for 55 fun participatory social dances which John Gardiner-Garden composed in many different styles and formations and playing with many different interesting ideas in response to various requests, challenges, needs and whims over the last 15 years, together with period illustrations, and notes on making 30 stunning medleys out of dances both in this book and in his Lost Dances of Earthly Delights Volumes and Christmas Carol Dance Book. A few of the dances are set to original music by John but most are set to fabulous music of Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic-era composers (including 4 to Bach and 5 to Beethoven). 204 A4 pages.
Dance Education
Dance Education redefines the nature of dance pedagogy today, setting it within a holistic and encompassing framework, and argues for an approach to dance education from a soci-cultural and philosophical perspective. In the past, dance education has focused on the learning of dance, limited to Western-based societies, with little attention to how dance is learned and applied globally. This book seeks to re-frame the way dance education is defined, approached and taught by looking beyond the privileged Western dance forms to compare education from different cultures. Structured into three parts, this book examines the following essential questions: - What is dance? What defines dance as an art form?- How and where is dance performed and for what purpose?- How do social contexts shape the making and interpretation of dance? The first part covers the history of dance education and its definition. The second part discusses current contexts and applications, including global contexts and the ability to apply and comprehend dance education in a variety of contexts. This book opens up definitions, rather than categorising, so that dance is not presented in a hierarchical form. The third part continues to define dance education in ways that have not been discussed in the past: informal contexts. The book then returns to the original definition of dance education as a way of knowing oneself and the world around us, ending on the philosophical application of this self-knowledge as a way to be in the world and to engage with others, regardless of background. This textbook is a refreshing and much-needed contribution to the field of dance studies by one of the most eminent voices in the field.
Dance Education
Dance Education redefines the nature of dance pedagogy today, setting it within a holistic and encompassing framework, and argues for an approach to dance education from a soci-cultural and philosophical perspective. In the past, dance education has focused on the learning of dance, limited to Western-based societies, with little attention to how dance is learned and applied globally. This book seeks to re-frame the way dance education is defined, approached and taught by looking beyond the privileged Western dance forms to compare education from different cultures. Structured into three parts, this book examines the following essential questions: - What is dance? What defines dance as an art form?- How and where is dance performed and for what purpose?- How do social contexts shape the making and interpretation of dance?The first part covers the history of dance education and its definition. The second part discusses current contexts and applications, including global contexts and the ability to apply and comprehend dance education in a variety of contexts. This book opens up definitions, rather than categorising, so that dance is not presented in a hierarchical form. The third part continues to define dance education in ways that have not been discussed in the past: informal contexts. The book then returns to the original definition of dance education as a way of knowing oneself and the world around us, ending on the philosophical application of this self-knowledge as a way to be in the world and to engage with others, regardless of background.This textbook is a refreshing and much-needed contribution to the field of dance studies by one of the most eminent voices in the field.
Giving Life to Movement
What does it mean to give life to movement? Tamara Williams answers this question through an ethnographic study and historical mapping of the Silvestre Dance Technique created by Brazilian master teacher, dancer, and choreographer, Rosangela Silvestre. In the first book solely dedicated to Silvestre Technique, Williams illustrates how the applied theory of the triangles of inspiration, expression and balance of training can lead to self-actualization through implementation in daily life practice. From the Brazilian arts movements of the 1970s, to the sociopolitical themes of the Blocos Afros, to the global practice of Silvestre Technique presently, the author explores the impact of the Body Universe in understanding self-capacity and capability. Williams investigates the functionality of the technique through a series of interviews, physical practice, and training.
Dance and Activism
This study focuses on dance as an activist practice in and of itself, across geographical locations and over the course of a century, from 1920 to 2020. Through doing so, it considers how dance has been an empowering agent for political action throughout civilisation. Dance and Activismoffers a glimpse of different strategies of mobilizing the human body for good and justice for all, and captures the increasing political activism epitomized by bodies moving on the streets in some of the most turbulent political situations. This has, most recently, undoubtedly been partly owing to the rise of the far-right internationally, which has marked an increase in direct action on the streets.Offering a survey of key events across the century, such as the fall of President Zuma in South Africa; pro-reproductive rights action in Poland and Argentina; and the recent women's marches against Donald Trump's presidency, you will see how dance has become an urgent field of study. Key geographical locations are explored as sites of radical dance - the Lower East Side of New York; Gaza; Syria; Cairo, Iran; Iraq; Johannesburg - to name but a few - and get insights into some of the major figures in the history of dance, including Pearl Primus, Martha Graham, Anna Sokolow and Ahmad Joudah. Crucially, lesser or unknown dancers, who have in some way influenced politics, all over the world are brought into the limelight (the Syrian ballerinas and Hussein Smko, for example). Dance and Activismtroubles the boundary between theory and practice, while presenting concrete case studies as a site for robust theoretical analysis.
Pragmatist Philosophy and Dance
This book investigates how Pragmatist philosophy as a philosophical method contributes to the understanding and practice of interdisciplinary dance research. It uses the author's own practice-based research project, Later Rain, to illustrate this. Later Rain is a post-dramatic dance theater work that engages primarily with issues in the philosophy of religion and socio-political philosophy. It focuses on ecstatic states that arise in Appalachian charismatic Pentecostal church services, states characterized by dancing, paroxysms, shouting, and speaking in tongues (glossolalia). Research for this work is interdisciplinary as it draws on studio practice, ethnographic field work, cultural history, Pentecostal history and theology, folk aesthetics, anthropological understandings of ecstatic religious rituals, and dance history regarding acclaimed works that have sought to present aspects of religious ecstasy on stage; Doris Humphrey's The Shakers (1931), Mark Godden's Angels in the Architecture (2012), Martha Clarke's Angel Reapers (2015) and Ralph Lemon's Geography trilogy (2005). The project thereby demonstrates a process model of dance philosophy, showing how philosophy and dance artistry intertwine in a specific creative process.
The Magic Miracles of Quick Feet
Tap dance is magical. Tap dance is mysterious. Tap dance is more than a style of dance, but a lifestyle that can be adopted into anyone's everyday life. Students who struggle in school, especially math or music, will find that tap lessons can help them retain what they are learning faster and easier. Athletes who use tap dance as a form of cross training find that their footwork significantly improves, and they perform better in their sport. Tap dance teaches individuals to work and strengthen muscles in their feet that help improve their quality of life. For those who have special needs, tap dance can be modified to their specific needs. Tap dance benefits our overall health in more ways than one. Read on to find all the ways tap dance can benefit YOU in your everyday life.
India's Kathak Dance in Historical Perspective
Kathak, the classical dance of North India, combines virtuosic footwork and dazzling spins with subtle pantomime and soft gestures. As a global practice and one of India's cultural markers, kathak dance is often presented as heir to an ancient Hindu devotional tradition in which men called Kathakas danced and told stories in temples. The dance's repertoire and movement vocabulary, however, tell a different story of syncretic origins and hybrid history - it is a dance that is both Muslim and Hindu, both devotional and entertaining, and both male and female. Kathak's multiple roots can be found in rural theatre, embodied rhythmic repertoire, and courtesan performance practice, and its history is inextricable from the history of empire, colonialism, and independence in India. Through an analysis both broad and deep of primary and secondary sources, ethnography, iconography and current performance practice, Margaret Walker undertakes a critical approach to the history of kathak dance and presents new data about hereditary performing artists, gendered contexts and practices, and postcolonial cultural reclamation. The account that emerges places kathak and the Kathaks firmly into the living context of North Indian performing arts.
Dances of Greece
In Greece, folk dancing can boast a longer and less interrupted descent than in any other country. If we look at the ancient vase-paintings and bas-reliefs, we find that the poise, the steps and motions are very similar to those in use today. The long years of Turkish rule could not quench the flames of Greek national pride, and this flame still burns bright.The Klephs, the guerilla warriors of the mountains, who were a thorn in the flesh of the Turkish overlords, had their own dances, and Greek dancing is still of a predominantly warlike character.For those who would essay these dances themselves, detailed step notations are provided, together with music; and four charming colour plates show the correct costumes to go with the dances.
The Magic Miracles of Quick Feet
Tap dance is magical. Tap dance is mysterious. Tap dance is more than a style of dance, but a lifestyle that can be adopted into anyone's everyday life. Students who struggle in school, especially math or music, will find that tap lessons can help them retain what they are learning faster and easier. Athletes who use tap dance as a form of cross training find that their footwork significantly improves, and they perform better in their sport. Tap dance teaches individuals to work and strengthen muscles in their feet that help improve their quality of life. For those who have special needs, tap dance can be modified to their specific needs. Tap dance benefits our overall health in more ways than one. Read on to find all the ways tap dance can benefit YOU in your everyday life.
